Doc. I suffered a sprained ankel riding in NM (bummer). Typically how long before I can get back on the bike that threw me and are there any precautions I can take in the early stages of riding again to protect the ankle?

You will want lay off the bike for at least the next two weeks. When you get back on you may benefit from an ankle stirup brace that helps prevent excees rolling of the ankle inward and outward. Also, look at using plain platform pedals for the next month or two to prevent restressing the ankle from a fall while being clipped in. If you do go back to clipless pedals, use ones that allow you to adjust the tension to allow for easier unclipping to prevent future sprains.